Watchman&#39;s signal and alarm system



Nov. 12, 1940. H. MACHINIST 2,220,936

WATCHMAN'S SIGNAL AND ALARM SYSTEM Filed Dec. 13, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 1f 'lii li NOV. 12, '1940. c s-r 2,220,936

WATGHMAN'S SIGNAL AND ALARM SYSTEM I Filed Dec. 15, 1938 5 Shgets-Sheet2 INSULATION 72 H. MACHINIST WATCHMANS SIGNAL AND ALARM SYSTEM FiledDec. 15, 1938 Nov. 12, 1940,

fiz/ezzfoz fi/aro/dficz zzzsf as 1452 Ways Patented Nov. 12, 19402,220,936 w 1 e WATCHMANS SIGNAL AND ALAR 'sYsfrEM Harold Machinist,Chicago, 111., assignor'to Dudlcy Lock Corporation, Chicago, 111., a.corpora tion of Illinois Application December 13, 1938, Serial No.245,461 7 v1o Claims (01. 177-350) This invention relates to an improvedconstruction for a watchmans signal box and operating means therefor,and to an improved arrangement of a series of such boxes in a system.One object of the invention is to provide a. series of boxes with atleast one box in the series associated with a signal mechanism'arrangedto record at a remote point the fact that the'boxhas been operated inaccordance with the watch mans routinej the remaining boxes includefeatures so related to the-operating handle employed by the watchmanthat he must necessarily Visit the Stations at whichthese boxes arelocated in t a certain predetermined order before he can employ thehandle for operating the signal-transmitting box of the series. Anotherobject of the invention is to provide a changeable mechanism for thehandle susceptible of a wide variety of changes, and easily modified toproduce changes in a different order so that the mechanism can beinstalled in a large number of buildings and factories without anydanger that the handle employed in one systemwill operate in anothersystem of the same general type. Another object is to provide a systemin-which the means for altering the operating handle at each box of aseries shall include lock and key mechanismnot easily duplicated. Otherobjects will appear as the description'proceeds. The invention consistsof the various features and elements of construction and in theircooperative arrangement'in a system, as herein shown and described andas me dicated by the claims.

In the drawings: 1 1

Figure 1 is a perspective View of the exterior of a watchmans signal boxand an operating handle therefor embodying this invention.

Figure 2 is a view of the mechanism housed in the box, as seen from theinner side of the cover and with certain parts shown in section toreveal details of construction.

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken through the interior housing forthe signal winding gear at a plane just back of ithe'face plate of thebox, and showing the gear and its associated pocket which receivestheoperating handle.

Figure 4 is a vertical section taken substantially as indicated at line44 on Figure 3.

Figure 5 is an end elevation of theoperating handle. Figure 6 is a sideelevation of the operating handle. 1

Figure 7 is an axial section FigureB is atran verse section taken asindi cated at line8 '-8 on Figure 7. p

I Figure9 is a horizontal section taken through the signal box, asindicated at line 9-'-9 on Figure 2 and showing a portion of theoperatinghandle in position to be entered in the cooperatingpocketofthegear.

Figure 10 is afaceview of anintermediate box of theisystemvhaivingHOSignal mechanism asso; ciated therewith. 1

Figure 11 is. a vertical section takenas. indi-- cated at line I l| 'lon Figure 10.

,.;Figure 12 isa sectionalview similar to ll) showing a special alarm,box employedas a supplemental element of the system.

' Figure 13 is a transverse section taken as indicated at line l3 l3 onFigure 12. v 1 t Figure 14 is a. fragmentary sectionsimiliar'to Figure.4 butshowinga modification of" certain features. l I t a t For thepurpose ofinsuring that a watchman is making his regular rounds at theproper in tervals, and is inspecting the premises thorough- 1y on eachround,there have been variouslsystems devised bywhich the watchmanisrequired to operate one or more signal devices which make a record orhis visits to the points at which such devices are operable; and,particularlywhere the watchman isemployed by an outside agency whichguarantees the efficiency of his services,

it is customary tofarrange for thefoperationof such signal devices ataremote point, such as a control office of the agency where reports arereceived periodically from all watchmenin the service. The presentinvention relateslto suchca system, and includes variousmeans and?devices intended to require and insure that thewatchman shall followfapredetermined routine and that any deviation from hisprescribedpmcedure receiving reportsfrom the system,"

l shall be promptly indicated atthe central oiiice An importantelementfloi the system is the sig w nal box I, having a removable faceplate 2; nor! mally secured by a 'lgey-operated lock 3 and having anopeningj for-the introduction ofan'op= erating handle 5, which is carried the we/fich 7 man on his roundsQand which is similarly em-j Figure2; the boxl enclosesla signal-operating mechanism 6, which may be of anystandard cone l t andgear train (not seen infFigure 2) iorrotating on anenlarged scale, taken as indicatedat line '|-'l on Figure 5.-

al -toothed wheel 1 through; one complete turn to electrical signalsthrough any suitable signal circuitbyrmeans of wires (not shown)connected to said contact arms 8, 8 and leading from the box preferablyin concealed fashion, as through the panel or partition wall in whichthe box is installed. 7

The mechanism 6 includes a winding shaft 9 having mounted thereon asegment gear l Whose teeth are'positioned to mesh with the teeth of amutilated gear journaled for rotation within the box I and enclosed in aseparateinterior casing of its own, seen at l2. The back wall l3 of thecase I2 is formed with a central, inwardly projecting hub M which servesas a bearing for the gear member II and said member includes anintegrally formed pocket having a cylindrical portion l with a pair oflaterally extending parallel walls Hi embracing a space adjacent saidcylindrical portion, as seen in Figure 3. The space enclosed by theportions l5 and I6 corresponds in cross-section substantially to theshape of the opening 4 in the face plate 2 of the box and is ofsubstantially thecross-section of the operating handle 5, shown inperspective in Figurel. i

When the handle 5' is inserted through the opening 4 intothe pocket ofthe gear member H and is turned once around, it rotates the gearandjcauses it first to mesh with the teeth of the segment Ill and swingthe latter through a limited arc in the direction for tensioning thespring of the mechanism 6. The mechanism then begins to operate somewhatin the manner of a clock train "at a speed controlled by a fly-ballgovernor seen at IT. While the'spring-wound train is operating, andactuating the electrical .contacts 8, 8,'the shaft 9 rotates in thereverse direction, swinging the segment back to its initial position.

, This is'permitted because of the mutilated nature of gear I l, whichhas only enough teeth to mesh with all the teeth of .the segment l0, andwhich, beyond that point, is of circular outline of a radius to clearthe teethof segment iii, if the latter should commence its return swingwhile the 'single rotation 'of the gearmember H is being completed. Inany event, a'single turn of the member'H terminates with its first toothjust outside the path of the teeth of segment [0, this being theposition at which the handle 5 can be withdrawn through the opening 4.Thus the gear H is left out of mesh withsegment II], but in the positionto pick up the segment in the initial portion of its next turn whenagain operated by the handle'5. V

The, operating handle 5 includes a cylindrical body portion 26 with arectangular portion 2| extending from one side of the cylinder, and ahand-grip. 22 secured in the end of the cylinder. The opposite end ofthe cylinder 213 exposes the key-slot 23 of a key-operated cylinderlock, which may be of the pin tumbler type, and which is preferably ofthe type covered by U, S. Patent No. 2,030,836, since this look employsa key having several unrelated cam surfaces so arranged as to render.duplication of the key unusually diflicult. The cylinder 24-015- such alock is seen in Figure '7, with the pin tumblers 25 of the-plug 2 lengaged in suitable slots or apertures of the cylinder. At the inner endthe key plug carries a disk 26, shown with one tooth 21 projecting forengagementwith the teeth of a ratchet-type gear wheel 28, which isjournaled in the laterally projecting portion --2| of the handle body.

This portion 2| of the handle is formed at its 9?" ed W ha ural Qf S 9 hs 29, and the cylindrical interior surface of the housing 2 is providedwith arcuate ribs l8, whose leading ends l9 merge obliquely into thecylindrical surface of the housing l2. These ribs l8 are spaced apart soas to interengage with certain of the notches or recesses 29 when thehandle member is inserted through the opening 4. But into each of therecesses 29 there projects from the interior of the body 2| 2. smallplunger 32, normally held in projecting position by a spring 3|. Andcertain of said plungers are locked in projecting position by means of acylinder 32 rotatably mounted in the body 2| in co-axial and operativeengagement with the ratchet wheel 28. This cylinder 32 is formed withopenings 33 dis-' tributed over its surface so that at any givenadjustment of the cylinder 32 about its axis certain of said openingswill be aligned with certain of the plungers 30, so as to permit them tobe yieldingly depressed against the force of their respective springs3|. In the system herein illustrated the body portion 2| of the handlemember is provided with five notches 29 and the cylinder 32 is arrangedwith openings or recesses 33 in groups of two, so that at any positionof its adjustment it is possible for two of the plungers 30 to beyieldingly depressed. Thus, in order for the handle to be rotatable inthe housing I2 of the box the two plungers 30 which register with theribs IS in said housing must be rendered yieldable by proper adjustmentof the cylinder 32. When this condition is fulfilled, the handle member5 may be inserted in the opening 4 and, as it enters the pocket of thegear member II, a fixed key 34, anchored in the boss i l of the housingI2, will register with the key-slot 23, which is exposed in the end ofthe handle body 20. When the handle is thrust in to its limit this key34 will properly register with the tumblers 25 of the cylinder lock, andas the handle member is turned in the housing I2 the fixed key 34 willcause rotation of the'plug of the cylinder look through one completeturn. This will have the effect of turning the disk 26 through one turn,so that its single tooth 2'! will engage one tooth of the ratchet gear28 and will turn that gear through an angle corresponding to one tooth,at which position it will be arrested by a detent pawl 36, urged intoengagement with the Wheel 28 by a spring 31. As the handle 5 is turnedin the housing I2, two of its notches 29 interengage with the ribs la,the yieldable plungers 2B in those notches being depressed as they rideover the inclined approaches IQ of the ribs l8; but these ribs extendonly through the first portion of the rotation and terminate at 38, thuspermitting the plungers 38 to be projected by their springs 3| and todisengage themselves from the registered openings in the cylinder 32.Thereafter, the tooth 21 sweeps into engagement with a tooth of theratchet wheel 28 and turns the cylinder 32 through the angle of a singletooth of the ratchet wheel, thus bringing a diiferent pair of openings.33 into alignment with the plungers 30. Therefore, when the handle 5 isremoved from the first box of the series, its rotation in that boxcannot be repeated immediately, because the recesses '29, which registerwith ribs l8, are

nowblocked by plungers 30, which cannot be depressed. But the plungerswhich have been released by alignment with a second set of holes as seenin Figures. 10 and 11. This second box 40 need not include any signalmechanism like ling abutments 58 and 59. A ring 60 of insulating thatshown in the hut box I. [is to insure that the watchman shall visit thestation at which the second box is located after he' leaves thestationat which box is located.

.Thebox 56 includes a central boss 14% projecting from its back wall l3and a key 34*, identical with the'key M, is anchored in the boss I l inposition to engage the key, slot 23 of the handle member when the latteris inserted in the handle member 5 in the box' 45,.but upon thecompletion of that turn the plug of the cylinder lock 24 will have beenrotated through one revolution, so that the tooth 21 of disk 26 willhaveshifted the cylinder 32 by the amount of one tooth of the ratchet wheel28, thus bringing into alignment with the plungers 30 a'third set" ofopenings '53 This action automatically blocks the plungers 36,corresponding to the ribs I8 so as to prevent further rotation of thehandle member in the box l|l, but prepares a different pair of plungers35 to yield upon being aligned with the differently placed ribs in thenext sue-,- ceeding box, which may be exactly similar tothe box 46,except for the arrangement of the ward ribs therein. I A

Thus the watchman will travel from station to station, inserting thehandle member 5 successively in boxes of the typeof the box 46, turningthe handle through one revolution in each box and thus re-adjusting theplungers 35 for operation in the next succeeding box. After visitingevery station of the series he may return to the initial station whichis provided with box I, and upon inserting the handle in that box, andoperating it, he will thus send a secondsignal to the central office,indicating that he has completed his rounds.

Or, if preferred-end particularly if the premises are such that thewatchman can make his complete rounds in a few minutes, but is notrequired to repeat his inspection at once, or for a considerable periodof time-asecond signaling station like that housed in the box I ,inay belocated at the end of the series, so that the second report signalisturned in by the watchman upon the completion of the series, and withoutreturning to the initial station. This will provide for a close check-upon the time occupied by the watchman in visiting the complete series ofstations without adding in the time whichit takes him to return from thelast to the initial station. But in many instances a. singlesignalmechanism will serve the'purpose.

Occasionally, in connection with the perpetration of a hold-up or aburglary, the watchman is forced by one member of the gang to make hisregular rounds so as toturn in signals to the central ofiice at theexpected intervals and avoid arousing suspicion. To meet suchemergencies I provide a special alarm box 50, which is exactly like thebox All in external appearance, when installed, but in which the keymember34 in stead of being fixedly mounted, is securedin a central box5| formed on the inner end wall of a pocket 52, 53, which is shaped likethe pocket I 5, E6 of the box l, or like the pockets I5 l6 of the box45, so as to receive the handle member 5. The end wall or flange 54 ofthe pocket in box 55 has a centering hub 55 which is journaled in arecess in the back wall 56 of box 56; and this flange 54, instead ofhaving gear teeth like the part II,- isformed with a peripheral sector-51, which presents -'a pair of oppositely fac- Its only function sector51.

material isrotatably mounted against the back wall 56 withits singletooth or lug'6lprojecting in thepocket 52, :53 and turned in clockwise Cdirection, the abutment 58 picks up thelug BI and rotates the ring 60until the handle has completed itsfull turn so as to be removable fromthe box 56. The ring 60 carries on itsback face a metallic insert 62,dimensioned for con-.

.tinuous contact with the cylindrical wall of the box 50 and forengagement of its ,facewith thecontact terminal 63, set through thebackwall 56, as seen in Figure 12;. The lug 6| and the abutment 58 are sorelated to the pocket 52, 53 that upon completion of a singleturn ofthehandle member 5 therein, the insert 62 is shifted into registrationand contact with the terminal it 63, closing the circuit of a burglaralarm, such as that indicated at 64.

,It is the intention that this alarm box 56 shall be installed at anintermediate position in the total series, so that it may appear tobeoneof the standard boxeslike the box 40 which the watchman, is requiredtojvisit regularly; thus,

even under surveillance, he can visit the box 50 and turn in the alarmwithout arousing suspicion. And sincethe key member 34 is fixed in thehub 5| of the pocket 52, 53 'so'as to turn with the pocket, theoperation of thehandle .5 in theibox 50 will not rotate the plug 24 Iofthe cylinder lock, and will not modify the adjustment of the plungers29; hence, the. handle member 5 ismaintained in condition to operate inthe next regular box 40 of the series, just as it would have operatedif, the watchman had not visited box 56.

, Thus, in the emergency just described, the

' tion of the turn of the handle 5 the ring 60 will be shifted to carrythe insert 62 to the. position, indicated in dotted outline in Figure 13and out of engagement with the terminal 63, thus opening the circuit.

, To prevent operation of the winding gear otherwise than by means ofthe handle 5, the

, gear is normally locked against rotation by a series of spring-pressedtumblers 10 carried in suitable bores formed in a special boss ll projecting, from the back wall l3 of the housing l2.

Pocketed within the gear II is a set .of plungers 12, each, registeringwith one of the tumblers 10, i

as seen in Figure 4. The plungers 12 may be of various lengths, or mayproject by difierent amounts from the face of the gear H, and they aredisposed inthe portion of that face which lies between the walls I6, l6and thus formsan endwall for the pocket into which the handle 5 Wall andmay be rotated by the turn of the handle 5 in the manner alreadydescribed. This prevents unauthorized rotation of the winding gear H byany means other than the particular .tion of the handle member 5, and isrotatably mounted by the journaling of its back wall or flange ll on the.boss i l In this case the part 2 4i carries no teeth like the gearmember II, but

it does include suitable locking bores for engagement with the tumblersit carried in the boss M on'the back wall W of the box, and it alsocarries aa-set of plungers l2, whichcoo-perate with,

the recesses 73 in the end of the key member 5 to release the flange lland its connected pocket 42, 43 for rotation in the box 48. And,similarly, the alarm box 5B is provided with looking tumblers lb andplungers l2 to cooperate with the handle member when it is inserted inthe alarm box. This tends to prevent tampering with the system by makingit practically impossible to employ a handle borrowed from anothersystem, since the-arrangement of the plungers l2 represents a particularcombination assigned to only one system and one handle member 5 of thistype. Referring to the mechanism for changing the arrangement ofplungers 3G in the recesses 29 of the handle member 5, and particularlyto Figure 8, which shows a single tooth 2? carried by the disk 26 foroperating the gear wheel it, it may be understood that Ido not limitmyself to this specific structure. For example, if the system shouldinclude only five stations instead of ten, as assumed herein, thecylinder 32 might be arranged with only five sets of holes disposed atequi-angular positions in the cylinder, and the disk 26' couldbeprovided with two teeth instead of one, so that in, its singlerevolution it would shift the gear 28 through an angle occupied by twoof its teeth, or one-fifth of a turn; and, obviously, other gear ratiosmay be provided between the cylinder 32 and the key-operated plug 2 3*as required by the conditions of each individual in stallation of asystem.

Figure i i shows a modified construction for the ward ribs which areinter-engaged by the notches 29 of the handle 5. Instead of castingthese ribs integrally in each of the boxes l 2 and is, the ribs maybemade as separate members 88* and assembled with spacer rings Bilinterposed so as to position the ribs it wherever wanted for providingthe various combinations by which theseveral boxes of the system differfrom each other.

various modificationsand re-arrangements of the parts may be madewithout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and thatthe same is not limited to the particular form herein shown anddescribed, except in so far as indicated by the appended claims.

I claim: I 1. In a system including a series of stations with awatchmans .box at each station, signal this manner the gear is unlockedfrom the back mechanism in certain of the boxes, a removable operatinghandle for said mechanism, each box having ward means differing from theward means of the other boxes of the series, tumblers carried by'thehandle projecting-in positions to register with said Ward means, acontrol member shiftable in the handle to a series of positions eachcorresponding to one box of the series, said member serving ateachposition to lock one or more tumblers in projected position and torelease one or more tumblers for yielding encounter with the wards ofthe corresponding box so as to allow manipulation of the handle therein,together with a single key-operated lock secured in the handle andconnected for shifting said control member from .one position toanother, and similar keys mounted fixedly, one in each box of theseries, for engaging the lock and causing said control member to beshifted as the handle is actuated in each box.

'2. In the combination defined in claim 1, said actuation of the handlebeing a rotation about an axis through the key, the tumblers projectingradially from the handle, and said ward means being spaced from the axisof rotation for engaging selected tumblers of the handle as it turns inthe box.

3. In the combination defined in claim 1, the actuation of the handlebeing a rotation thereof about an axis through the key, the tumblersprojecting radially from the handle, the ward means being spaced fromthe axis of rotation, and the control member in the handle comprising acylinder rotatable therein and having variously disposed recesses in itssurface arranged to register with different tumblers or groups oftumblers at different positions in the rotation of the cylinder, eachtumbler having a spring normally holding it in projected position andthe registration of a recess of the cylinder rendering a tumbleryieldingly depressible upon encountering a ward as the handle is turnedin the box.

4. In the combination defined in claim 1, the actuation of the handlebeing a rotation thereof about. an axis through the key, the tumblersprojecting radially from the handle, the ward means being spaced fromthe axis of rotation, the control member in the handle comprising acylinder rotatable therein and having variously disposed recessesarranged to register with different tumblers or groups of tumblers atdifferent positions in the rotation of the cylinder, and thekey-operated lock comprising a rotatable part with a one-way drivingconnection therefrom to rotate the apertured cylinder for shifting oneor more difierent recesses thereof into registration with correspondingtumblers each time said lock part is rotated in the handle;

5. In the combination definedin claim 1, the actuation of thehandlebeing a rotation thereof about an axis through the key, thetumblers projecting radially from the handle, the ward means beingspaced from the axis of rotation, the control member in the handlecomprising a cylinder rotatable therein and having variously disposedrecesses arranged to register with different tumblers or groups oftumblers at different positions in the rotation of the cylinder, and thekey-operated lock being geared to rotate the recessed cylinder through alimited angle for shifting one or more different recesses thereof intoregistration with corresponding tumblers each timethe lock is turnedthrough a full revolution in the handle, such full revolution beingnecessary to permit disengagement of the look from" the key of the boxbeing fixed substantially at the axis of rotation and the lock in thehandle being disposed for operative engagement with the key when thehandle is inserted in the pocket,

together with means carried by said rotatable member for operating asignal mechanism when it is rotated whereby rotation of the handle insaid signal box serves to transmit the signal and to shift the controlmember of said handle by rotation of the lock relatively to the fixedkey.

7. In the combination defined in claim 1, an

auxiliary box closely resembling other boxes of the series and locatedfor optional inclusion in the series by the watchman in making hisrounds, said box including an alarm switch with actuating means thereforhaving a pocket of noncircular cross-sectionfitting the cross-section ofthe handle whereby upon engagement of the handle therein said means maybe rotated by the handle, said alarm box having a key cooperable withthe lock in the handle but mounted to rotate with said pocket of theactuating-means to avoid shifting the control member and changing thearrangement of tumblers when the handle is optionally employed toactuate the alarm switch.

8. In the combination defined in claim 1, each box including a rotatablemember within the box having a pocket of non-circular cross-sectionfitting the cross-section of the handle to be engaged and rotated by thehandle when inserted therein, together with'a locking device normallyholding said member against rotation, the locking devices of all boxesof the system being alike, and lock releasing means cooperable therewithcarried by the handle,'said locking device and releasing means beingindividual to the system and the operation thereof being assential tothe actuation of thehandle in each box of the system. I

9. In the combination defined in claim 1, said operating handleincluding a cylindrical portion and a laterally extending portion inwhich the tumblers are carried and. each box including a rotatablemember having a pocket comprising a circular portion to receive thecylindrical portion of the handle and a laterally extending portion toengage the lateral partof the handle so that the handle may operate toturn the rotatable member within the box; locking tumblers normallyholding said rotatable member against rotation with actuatingmeans forsaid tumblers exposed in the lateral portion of the pocket, thelaterally extending part of the handle having areas engageable with saidactuating means positioned to effect the release of the tumblers whenthe handle is inserted in operative position in the pocket.

10. In thevcombination defined inclaim 1, said manipulation of thehandle being a rotation thereof and the ward means comprising one ormore ribs .in each box spaced around the axis'of rotation, said ribsbeing separate similar members secured in said boxes with spacerspositioning them axially, therein whereby said ribs and spacers may bereadily assembled in any desired arrangement ineach of the boxes of aseries.

HAROLD MACI-IINIST.

